He & I
by 44454469
Summary: Two unlikely stallions but with a very simmilar backstory meet and become the best of friends.


Padlock sighed as he typed away up precious documents. Over and over again it seemed the amounts were overwhelming. He clicked his tongue as a green-colored, yellow-mane stallion peered over the edges of his cubical. Then, that said stallion handed him ANOTHER piece of paper to fax, file and save. That was the routine of the day. Much like washing your mane or brushing your teeth. It was tiresome, repetitive and annoying.

"Don't look at me like I did it!" The yellowish-green pony made a few quick glances and then leaned in over the edge to whisper quickly. Yet, still rather harshly; "Cha-Chang! You know he overwhelms us with work and those creepy smiles!" Shushing commenced as Padlock rolled his eyes. The stallion then hurried back into his cubical as Cha-Chang, a speckled grey and white unicorn-stallion appeared from his office and a clipboard, elevated with his wondrous magic.

Cha-Chang hovered over Padlock and suddenly he heard scratching shutter against the clipboard. He sighed. Padlock hated whenever this happened. Others were terrified by it, but he knew Cha-Chang by now and Cha-Chang knew him. Essentially they would be serious with one another but the ponies in this office didn't realize the connection Cha-Chang had with Padlock's father. It was a great connection _TO_ have he should be reminded, if not every day by the graciousness he was blessed by the company and by coworkers here. Yet, there were sometimes it was still plain, downright, _annoying_.

Humming, Cha-Chang waltzed back into his office. Padlock readied himself into a more relaxed position and sighed. Then when all was good and about to be done Cha-Chang waved his hoof towards Padlock and called out: "Padlock! Will you be a _dear_ and come into my office for a few moments?"

This was not good. Thought Padlock as he gathered his things and strolled into Cha-Chang's office looking at the other mares and stallions who eyed him fearfully. Mainly feared for his life. Rolling golden eyes Padlock closed the door and sat down in the comfy chair, moving his things towards the emptied chair, then eyeing Cha-Chang who obviously had a fake-smile on. "You know why you're here." He said finally and rather bluntly. It hurt like an icicle stabbing him in the chest.

_ Ouch_. He thought rubbing his shoulder and nodding to Cha-Chang's statement. "Yes. But I still have the right to ask don't I?" Smiling he noticed Cha-Chang raising a brow. "Yes. Shoot."

_You already did_. "Why am I here?"

"Because your sales scores are low. Terribly, embarrassingly low." Slamming a hoof on his desk harshly Cha-Chang shook the table and the knickknacks on it.

Padlock was watching the birds roll out into the skies and beyond. That's when Cha-Chang angrily nudged him with a magically-elevated piece of paper. "Paddy!" He shouted, first time in a long time he'd – or anyone for that matter – called him _Paddy_. "I mean Padlock!" He shook his head twice and got himself back to reality. Padlock as well whose face had turned sour and flushed with bright pink.

"Y-yes boss…" Sighing he took the paper and read it over. It had all of his information and past information, he'd done much better than this in the past. Something wasn't right about how he was doing now or what his attitude was. It was strange. Very strange –

"There's nothing odd about this. I know exactly what's going on." Cha-Chang admitted finally and let a hoof relax his tired face. "You don't want to be here, you don't like anypony to tell you want to do… isn't that right?"

Padlock's mouth hung open in protest. "That's not true! It's not – I want to work hard – dad's lying whatever he's saying! You know he is!"

"Padlock!" A firm shout in the office shook him back awake. "You've never wanted anypony to tell you what to do, face it. This isn't working out and you know I'm right."

As the Earth Pony's jaw was hung ajar he soon felt it crack close once again. Sighing, Padlock leaned backwards into the comfy seat. Cha-Chang could only shake his head in disgrace, knowing that he was right all along. "You know I'm right…" He repeated once more this time softer than earlier. "I care about you Pad, I really do. But this isn't what's best for you. You and I both know that."

Padlock grimaced. How did Cha-Chang always get to decide what was best for him? How come everypony else get to decide what was right and what was wrong for Padlock? Why couldn't he call the shots once and a while? "Hey, that's not fair." He protested finally stomping his hoof on the desk.

"I should get to make my own decisions. I should get to see how my life goes – the way I want to – not how somepony else sees – right? Stop twisting my words around!" Hollering now, Padlock was getting rather aggressive. He caught Cha-Chang's attention but that doesn't mean he liked it.

"Kid. You better sharpen up your attitude and behavior. We've all done so much for you over the past couple of years, and what have you done? _NOTHING_!" He got closer to Padlock's space. Making the earth-stallion begin to shake in spasms. "Even when I offer help you whine and moan! Your treated like ROYALTY compared to other employees here! You know what?" He paused finally smirking. "Why don't you try going out into the big, bad, cold world on your own and seeing how tough it is?"

Padlock snarled and pushed Cha-Chang away from him in order to make his space more comfortable, then both the unicorn and earth pony tumbled on top of each other with a CRASH. Meanwhile outside the office others were looking towards the direction of the commotion. Cha-Chang charged towards Padlock, stabbing him with his horn but not too harshly, Padlock _noticed_. But it still hurt like hell. He yelped and got a punctured eye and it blackened within seconds. Soon an executive came in interrupting the twosome – "What's going on you two?!" Pulling he ponies apart. "Stop!"

She was a loyal, humble worker of Cha-Chang. Deserved to be called one of the best. She wiped away blood from Cha-Chang's suit and then as another pony – Glow Stick, came in and helped Padlock wipe away blood and tarnish from his outfit, Padlock hissed in agony. "I QUIT." Other ponies from outside the office watched in awe and were wondering if Cha-Chang was just going to let him go. He hesitated as Padlock wagged his tail side to side, Glow Stick supporting him slightly.

"You can't quit when I'm firing you. Dumbass kid." He mumbled and the others gasped in shock, hearing the office of their beloved boss slam shut and knickknacks rattle about. Photographs of employees were rattling and others near-tearing. Stress and tension though soon left as Padlock exited to the lobby in order to say his goodbyes to one pony else, Blue Bonnet.

"You never listen." She sighs and begins bandaging him up. With an oomph and a groan Padlock tinged a bit at the force Blue Bonnet was making. It was constricting a bit too much with his body. He still let her work her ways on him. "Sit still." She demanded and pulled one last time.

"It was the opposite this time. I swear!" He hollered in a higher tone, Padlock squeaked as Bonnet tightly fastened the stretched out material. "Ouch! Too much!"

"Sorry," She mumbled. "And it's usually because of you. What do you mean it was the opposite?"

"The old fart wouldn't listen. He started demanding things onto me and stuff." He half-lied, or rather he lied a lot. He then noticed Blue Bonnet humming and nodding rubbing Padlock's burning arm.

"What kind of things?" She was catching onto him.

"Um, you know. Things."

"Like?"

"THINGS."

"LIKE."

Padlock sighed and pushed her away, not in the mood for her assistance. "Why do I have to explain?"

"Because," She began. "You never are honest. For one thing. For another thing you yell at anypony-else who tries to help you. And thirdly," She trailed off looking into his golden-eyes.

"Thirdly?" He questioned tapping her on the shoulder and awakening her back to reality.

"I'm your friend."

He sighed and clicked his tongue eventually caving, telling Bonnet everything. The way he ushered Padlock into his office and the way he started telling him what to do – Bonnet of course justified Cha-Chang's side and that made Padlock angrier. They argued, but only having Glow Stick come back from upstairs with a note. "Padlock!" He shouted over their arguing. "Message delivery. Gosh they really need to pay me for these things." He handed the note to Padlock with a grin as if I-know-something-you-don't-smile. It creeped Padlock out. He didn't like not knowing things.

"Dear kid." It started off. Cha-Chang's handwriting.

"I only was so hard on you because of the way I care about you. Think about that for a minute would ya?" Padlock paused with (one) eyes wide and full of surprise. He continued reading aloud. "I love you like a son kid, I do. I only want what's best for ya. You really think I'd leave you in the dust after all we've been through? Heck no! So, I've contacted a friend of mine to help you out. I know your goals and dreams. _You_ –" Padlock paused tucking the letter back into his shirt pocket and smiling.

Blue Bonnet groaned and became impatient. "What? What was it? What do you want to be?"

"None of your stinking business!" He spat, of course more humorously because he had an obvious smile on. Glow Stick was smiling as well. He sighed and looked out the window, watching bustling ponies walk by in the busy street. Where is he going to live now though? "Who is going to want me for a roommate though?"

"Did you read the whole letter?" Glow Stick asked with a raised brow.

Padlock nodded sadly. "I did. Once a cheapskate always a cheapskate. He didn't offer any living arrangements only somepony to come at 5:30 PM and guide me around the city."

Glow Stick looked up at the wall-clock. "It's 5:35 now. I wonder where that pony is?"

"Did somepony say they needed a place to live?"

Looking around spastically Padlock & co. Turned their heads towards the double-doors. A white, blonde-mane earth-pony wearing a sombrero and a Mexican-type-outfit came waltzing into the office, he was almost a roamer of sorts from ancient times. Though he could have had them all fooled, he could have been a traveling standup comedian. _Or a crazy hobo_. Thought Padlock as the stranger came closer and his mustachioed face was touching Padlock's personal comfort-zone.

"Huh? Partner?" He pegged again a bit threateningly. Padlock looked at the stranger annoyed. Then nodded as if he was about to get into a fight.

"Yes."

The stranger stepped back, smiled and took off his outfit. "Well I'm the one who Cha-Chang called silly! I'm here to show you around!" He was totally different now as if the pony was someone different under those clothes. Padlock shook his head in confusion. Then, he just shrugged it off.

"Never mind – who are you again?" He asked the ecstatic pony smiled and took a hold of Padlock's hoof, shaking it up and down over and over. "Name's Icy Frost! Friend of Cha-Chang! I've heard a LOT about you Padlock Keys!"

Rolling his eyes Padlock thought to himself: _Great. A maniac, overly-jubilant hyperactive-pony. Just what I need now_. _Where does the old man meet guys like him_?

Icy Frost stepped back and Padlock was still trying to shake someone's hoof, it took Blue Bonnet's help to stop the strange sensation. Then, with a chuckle Icy Frost began his ecstatic rambling again.

"I think though it's a bit too late to tour the city so you can crash at my place tonight. Sound good?"

Padlock's eyes narrowed. But they were both _guys_ –

"S-sure." He flushed and rubbed the back of his head trying not to see the reaction from Glow and Bonnet.

The next morning they had arrived five minutes late. They had apparently promised somepony they'd be arriving at their bakery called Cupcake Funhouse in Fillydelphia – Padlock shivered at the girlish name. Apparently also, Icy Frost had a habit for arriving five minutes _fashionably late_.

Walking into Cupcake Funhouse made not only Padlock's IQ drop but his masculinity as well. He groaned at the decorations and while Icy Frost seemed to pay no heed to the awkwardness, they waited for a few moments for somepony to come until Icy called out: "Hello? Private Eye?"

Eventually a dark-blue Pegasus pony with a white-apron and drenched in baking-flour and sugar came backing out of the kitchen. He backed his way up like a dump truck eventually trying not to fall, and when the Pegasus turned around and smiled, wiping the baking excesses off of him he handed out a hoof. "Hello, my name is Private Eye. How do you do?"

Padlock accepted the hoof-shake and nodded. "Good, good." … He stared at the Pegasus – there was something wrong with his wings. They were crooked and disjointed almost, like he had some sort of birth defect or syndrome. Padlock's spine chilled all of a sudden.

Private Eye motioned to say something – in order to regain Padlock's attention back to reality. "Is there something wrong?"

"N-no!" _Yes_. (But he wasn't going to say it.) "My name is Padlock Keys. I believe we're going to be roommates from now on?"

A bright, infectious smile spread across the strange Pegasus's face. "Yup! Got the call from Frost just about an hour ago!" He wiped off more white smog from his body – trying to look more _presentable_?

"Nice to meet'cha roomie!"


End file.
